The parents of students studying at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) School, Mawphlang want authorities to remove the principal holding her responsible for the death of a student in a case of electrocution.
A parents’ body committee meeting was held today which was also attended by the parents of the deceased student, Nathaniel Sohtun.
Convener of the meeting, Binestar Ksanlah said all the parents have lost faith in the principal, Neelam Sharma and want her replaced by an efficient person who can look after the wellbeing and safety of the students.
The parents have pinned the blame on Sharma and said the incident would not have happened, if she had listened and addressed to the grievances and complaints made by the students.
“Sharma, till date has not called for the Parents-Teacher Committee meeting after the unfortunate incident, which is disheartening,” Ksanlah added.
He said the meeting also discussed the need for the school authorities to speed up renovation of the electricity and water supply, including other needs of the students for their convenience and smooth progress of their education.
General Secretary of the committee, Belinda Kharsati said that after Sharma took over as principal in 2023, the student’s grievances were not at all addressed, and the students were treated harshly in many cases in the form of punishment.
She said it is disheartening that the principal did not even attend the Sohtun’s funeral nor did she send a condolence message and alleged that she did not even allow some staff to attend the funeral.
“We feel that the authorities concerned, including the state and central governments should work together and bring a new principal to the school to look into all the requirements for the welfare of the students,” she added.
Sohtun, a class 11 student who was staying in one of the JNV hostels, died on July 28 while taking a bath. He was a resident of Laban and had joined the school only recently after passing this year’s Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination in the first division.
The incident occurred in the afternoon, with Sohtun’s parents informed that their son had fallen ill at around 4 pm. While they were on their way to the school they received further information that Sohtun had died while taking a bath.
According to students of the school, about a month ago they had complained to the school authorities that there was something wrong with the electricity but, allegedly, no action was taken. The students complained that whenever it rains electric current is transmitted through the water in at least two hostels and when the fans are switched on they emit smoke.
The school principal had stated that a different problem had been brought to her attention – namely that there was no power in one of the houses due to a hailstorm and electricians were then hired and the problem was fixed.
It may be mentioned that the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has taken cognisance of the case and directed the school principal and the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corp Ltd to submit detailed reports into the accident by August 16.
